1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a technique for attaching to a male patient suffering from urinary incontinence a portable urinary system characterized by a urinal bag adapted to be attached to the patient's leg, a rubber sheath for receiving the patient's urinary organ, or penis, and a flexible conduit extended between the sheath and the bag, and more particularly to an improved method for attaching the sheath of such a system to the external urinary organ of a male patient.
As can fully be appreciated by those familiar with the care of male patients suffering from urinary incontinence, a great deal of attention must be paid to the collection of urine inadvertently discharged from the patient for obvious aesthetic and clinical reasons. As can also be appreciated, a myriad of problems confront users of systems currently employed in collecting urine from such patients. The magnitude of the problems faced is much greater, of course, for patients having additional disabilities such as loss of motor control for various limbs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, in providing for the collection of urine, it is common practice to attach to patients portable urinary systems characterized by urinal bags adapted to be attached to the patient's legs and receivers for the external urinary organs of the patients. From the receiver there is extended a flexible conduit adapted to be connected with the bag. Several types of portable urinary systems currently are available for use by male patients. However, in each instance, the system is characterized by a receiver comprising a rubber sheath configured to receive the patient's external urinary organ.
It has, heretofore, been common practice to secure such a sheath in place simply by applying an elastic adhesive-bearing tape about the surface of the sheath. Unfortunately, elastic tape applied directly to a rubber sheath does not readily provide for adjustment since the tape cannot be released and reapplied. As a consequence, should tape be applied too tightly or too loosely, the sheath must be removed and replaced. The inherent inadequacy of the prior art techniques often results in a loss of time as well as accidental spillage. Moreover, a patient having debilitated tactile senses in the lower portion of his body may not be able to detect the presence or absence of the sheath and/or other conditions, such as swelling, of the urinary organ.
Consequently, where the patient must be transferred employing lifts, hoists and the like, it is possible for the patient to lose a sheath without being aware of its absence. Similarly, where the sheath is taped in place with sufficient tension for thus assuring that dislocation of the sheath will not occur during patient handling operations, the organ may experience swelling as a result of the tape being applied too tightly. Of course, where swelling occurs, it can be alleviated only by releasing the tape.
Another disadvantage often encountered in employing a rubber sheath as a receptacle for a male patient's external urinary organ is that of inducing inflamation and lesions in the patient's skin, particularly in the more sensitive areas.
Finally, the method heretofore employed in equipping a patient with a portable urinary system normally requires that the bag be strapped to the patient's leg utilizing straps formed of rubber materials having the ends thereof interconnected employing buttons received within buttonholes. Such bottons are particularly difficult for a patient to manipulate with the result that often a slit is made in the straps to weaken the area around the buttonholes with the result that the strap tends to rupture in the vicinity of the buttonhole when placed in use.
It should, therefore, be apparent that there currently exists a need for an improved method of attaching existing portable urinary systems to male patients which facilitates rapid attachment, detachment and adjustment in order to overcome the aforementioned difficulties and disadvantages.
It is, therefore, the general purpose of the instant invention to provide a reliable, practical and improved method for attaching to the urinary organs of male patients a portable urinary system regardless of differences in anatomic size resulting from stages of maturity and/or stimuli, which method facilitates a rapid positioning and repositioning of a sheath, and an attachment of the urinal bag while avoiding a skin disorders frequently induced through a use of a rubber sheath.